Abstract: A rolling contactor for providing electrical signal communication between a component terminal and a support structure for the rolling contactor, including an electrically conductive circular roller for rolling across the termination surface of a device under test (DUT), at least one electrically conductive circular spool, a support axle adapted to pass axially through the holes formed in the roller and the spool, an electrically conductive axle bracket adapted to support the axle to allow the roller surface to rotate and press against the termination surface of the DUT, an electrically conductive brush extending from the axle bracket to contact the spool, and an electrically conductive elongated spring arm extending between the axle bracket and the support structure, to complete the electrical path between the termination surface of the DUT, the roller surface and the spool.

Abstract: A rolling contactor for providing electrical signal communication between a component terminal and a support structure for the rolling contactor, including an electrically conductive circular roller having formed thereon an outer rolling surface and an inner, centralized hole, between two, spaced-apart side walls, for rolling across the termination surface of a device under test (DUT), at least one electrically conductive circular spool of smaller outside diameter than the roller, located adjacent and in contact with one of the roller side walls and having formed therethrough a centralized hole, a support axle adapted to pass axially through the holes formed in the roller and the spool and extending there beyond, an electrically conductive axle bracket adapted to support the axle in a rotational arrangement about the axle to allow the roller surface to rotate and press against the termination surface of the DUT, an electrically conductive brush extending from the axle bracket to contact the spool in tangentia

Abstract: A high-speed handler for receiving a heap of randomly oriented parallel piped-shaped ceramic components, each component of the type having at least one set of metal terminations located on opposite edges thereof, presenting them in individual seats in controlled orientation for electrical parametric testing, and sorting them according to their test results, including a rotating feed wheel, mounted on a central shaft and defined by an outer rim concentric with the axis of the central shaft, the wheel inclined to the horizontal and including an upper surface on which to receive a heap of randomly oriented ceramic components, a plurality of radially-pointing, spaced-apart bosses extending upward and outward on the upper wheel surface terminating at component-sized cavities formed in the wheel adjacent the outer rim and arranged to receive therein a single ceramic component in specific orientation, a rotating carrier plate mounted planar to and spaced-apart from the feed wheel having an upwardly extending circula

Abstract: In a machine for testing and sorting miniature electrical inductors of the type having spaced-apart, opposed first and second metal-terminated ends, wherein the machine includes a feed station having an inlet, an outlet and adapted to receive bulk quantities of inductors, a rotatably mounted transport wheel the wheel having an outer rim portion that includes a plurality of separate, spaced-apart compartments adapted to receive inductors from the feed station whereby each of the compartments has a central axis that is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the wheel, a test station including testing apparatus, and a sorting station operatively connected to the testing apparatus whereby an electrical inductor that is within the sorting station can be directed by a transfer means into one of at least two receiving means based on the testing performed at the test station, wherein when an electrical inductor is located in one of the compartments of the wheel.

Abstract: A replaceable roller turns on an axle supported at the end of a cantilever arm. The roller is preferably brass or other highly conductive, durable material for making electrical contact with a terminal of an electrical device, e.g. a ceramic capacitor. The arm is made from a highly conductive, resilient material. There are a plurality of such arms with rollers connected in parallel to a holding module, preferably with the rollers aligned. The holding module is secured to a structure, e.g. a component test handler jig, and provides a conductive path between each roller/cantilever arm assembly and the test jig. In operation a stream of components are indexed to the rollers such that their terminals are aligned with the rollers. The rollers intrude slightly into the path of the compnents so that as they are indexed to the rollers, the components deflect the rollers causing them to roll across the components' terminals.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for loading and positioning of elongate terminated electronic components include a load plate having vertical slots extending therethrough, the slots being spaced apart at regular intervals and each slot having parallel opposing sidewalls. Components are positioned and retained in the load plate slots with the long axes of the components in an orientation transverse to the upper surface of the load plate. At a predetermined time, each component is allowed to drop out of the slot and through a curved chute, the chute bending from an upper opening to a medial point and flaring outwardly from the medial point to a lower opening, and having a width at the medial point larger than the short axis of the component and a width at the lower opening slightly larger than the long axis of the component so that the component is rotated through about 90.degree. on passage through the chute.

Abstract: One or more concentric rings of component seats are rotatable about the rings' center. The seats are uniformly angularly spaced and the rings are incrementally rotated, the increment of rotation being the angular space between adjacent seats. The rings are inclined at an angle and a stream of components is poured onto the rings as they are rotating. Stationary fences adjacent to outboard sides of the seats, confine unseated components to tumble randomly, due to gravity, over empty seats passing through arcs of the rings' rotation paths. The random tumbling results in seated components. In the paths of the rotating rings are electrical contactors for coupling the components to a tester. Preferably there are five contactor stations to permit five different kinds of tests to be performed simultaneously. Tested components pass beneath an ejection manifold which defines a plurality of ejection holes which register with a set of seats each time the ring is rotated an increment.

Abstract: An electronic component preprocessing assembly comprises a press pin plate having a surface from which at least one press pin depends, a load plate having at least one loading aperture spatially aligned with and sized to receive the press pin, a pin holder plate having a surface from which at least one orienting pin depends, and a carrier plate having at least one component passageway spatially aligned with and sized to receive the orienting pin. The load plate and the carrier plate are spatially aligned so that an electronic component initially placed in the loading aperture can travel to the component passageway while captured within a predetermined distance between the press pin and the orienting pin. The predetermined distance is preferably sufficient to prevent unnecessary pressure on the component captured therein while orienting the component in a preferred orientation during transfer.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for inserting workpieces such as electrical components into a workpiece holder. The apparatus includes a housing with push pins mounted on a press plate for engaging and inserting the workpieces into receptacles in the workpiece holder. The pins are mounted in such a manner that if the entire housing is pushed downward in the direction of the exposed pin shafts and perpendicular to the plane of the bottom surface of the press plate, and if a given pin shaft encounters a restrictive force greater than or equal to a predetermined safe resistance, that pin shaft will be allowed to travel upward vertically through the plate frame. This escape release feature thus has the effect of a vertical "clutch," preventing damage to the pins, the loading plates, and the components whenever the pin shaft encounters excessive resistance.

Abstract: A device has a plurality of push pins for inserting workpieces into a device for securely retaining the workpieces. The push pins are resiliently biased to prevent damage to the components or the pins themselves. The pins may be mounted by springs which are stressed to a predetermined force, and the displacement of the pins may be sensed by mechanical or optical sensors. Alternatively, the pins themselves may be compressible to prevent damage to the device.